The Dumb As Road Kill Department

For those who's missed the last couple of daily poetry month quote postings - I apologize. I have been sick and off work. For me, there are two stages of illness. Sick and at work is one... sick and off work is severe. I will round out a post tomorrow with quotes to make up for the two missed days.

There were some quality poetry events going on tonight in Kansas City over at The Writers Place. Last night, Cornelius Eddy appeared at Rockhurst University campus - an event I had planned to attend and review. Suffice to say, I did not make the Eddy reading. There are a couple of additional events tomorrow worthy of mention in the KC area:

Poets-at-Large is The Writers Place's annual tribute to National Poetry Month, which is celebrating it's 10th year this year. The Writers Place is part of the American Academy of Poets 10 Year, 10 Cities project this year and our event is receiving some national attention.

SATURDAY, April 30, 11AM at The Writers Place
H. L. Hix, Christian Wiman (editor of Poetry Magazine), Michelle Boisseau, and Robert Stewart will hold a conversation titled "The 21st Century: A Golden Age of Poetry?". These consummate poets and writers will delve into questions of the relevance and ubiquity of poetry today. Books will be available. Pre-registration is highly recommended by calling 816-753-1090 - leave a message if you get the machine.

SATURDAY, April 30, 7pm at Main Branch of the KC Library - downtown KC - Helzberg Auditorium on top floor
Hix and Wiman will read from their work. Books will be available. After the reading we will have a meet-and-greet reception. This space is fabulous and you won't want to miss the opportunity to mingle with the poetic cognoscenti of KC and the many people whose generous contributions allow The Writers Place to function. Pre-registration is needed by calling 816-753-1090 - leave a message if you get the machine. This event is free. Donation opportunities will be available.

Last Tuesday, The Kansas City Metro Verse held a special pot-luck dinner at Pat Berge's to celebrate the last weekly meeting of Poetry Month. It was well attended, we had several first time guests and lots of readings - a good mixture of personal work and that of mainsteam poets were read.

Saint Eyebeat seems to have a thing for Jorie Graham. He's had a bit of a thing for Alan Cordal, but this may be cooling. He seems to think Alan's comments to me on his site were "personal and downright stupid." On the other hand, I am somewhere below Alan in the pecking order because Saint Eyebeat views me as "dumb as roadkill."

I have to credit Jilly with this a link to the Entries in Blogging Poet Laureate contest. A novel idea... OK, Poetic, Bite me!

Poetry Month Quote - April 27

Fill your paper with the breathings of your heart. ~William Wordsworth

Poetry Month Quote - April 26

A poet must leave traces of his passage, not proof. ~Rene Char

Poetry Month Quote - April 25

Poetry is plucking at the heartstrings,

and making music with them.

~Dennis Gabor

Poetry Month Quote - April 24

Poetry is the language in which man explores his own amazement. ~Christopher Fry

Alan's $64,000 question

Alan Cordle is saddened. He is lamenting the number of people who are coming to the site that last week he quit, but like a smoker with deeply stained nicotine hands he simply could not so easily walk away from it. He asks, "Why didn't you care enough to be a part of this during the past year when you could have joined? What's the attraction of coming here now? Am I the car wreck on the side of the interstate?

Is Alan really wanting us to answer that question? I think he know the answer. He is in fact very much a part of a wreckage that is scattered across the poetry landscape and there remain many bodies yet to be covered.

Poetry Month Quote - April 23

"To see the Summer Sky Is Poetry, though never in a Book it lie -True Poems flee." ~Emily Dickinson